Tourney title just scratching surface

NT80 · December 9, 2002

Tim MacMahon: Tourney title just scratching surface for UNT

12/09/2002

By Tim MacMahon

Don’t be confused by the rinky-dink sound of the name of the tournament on the newest trophy in the North Texas men’s basketball office.

There were no gimmes for the Mean Green in the Brothers Air and Heat Shootout.

Weber State, which UNT beat in the first round, has almost its entire team back after winning 18 games last season. Winthrop, which fell to the Mean Green on its home floor in the title game, has gone to the NCAA Tournament the past four seasons.

"This is a big momentum booster for us," string-bean forward Jermaine Green said. "We’re going back home with a two-game winning streak. That’ll get us going. I think we’re about to get on a roll."

The Mean Green more than survived an early schedule that opened with five games away from the Super Pit. UNT is 3-2 entering Tuesday’s home opener against TCU, despite the fact that coach Johnny Jones is still searching for the right chemistry and combinations.

That’s just one reason to think this team will only improve.

The Mean Green, a team that considers its ability to score points its biggest strength, hasn’t had of those nights yet this season where the offense flows like freestyle rap. UNT still hasn’t hit that natural rhythm, where the points come easily and in an entertaining fashion.

Heck, star swingman Chris Davis hasn’t hit much of anything. His shooting slump won’t last much longer.

But the fact that UNT was able to take a tournament title — the program’s first since the early days of the Flying Worm — with Davis’ jumper on the back of a milk carton is a testament to this team’s potential.

"It used to be if I didn’t score my points, we’d lose by 30," Davis said, wearily remembering the woeful Vic Trilli era. "It’s not like that anymore."

That has a lot to do with the fact that there are several other players on UNT’s roster who can fill it up. Shooting guard Leonard Hopkins can drop 20 on any given night. Green will give you double figures every night. And if sparkplug point guard Jerome Rogers is hitting from long range, he can completely alter the course of a game when he comes off the bench.

But the Mean Green made an addition to its trophy case upon primarily because of defense and toughness, a couple of things that have been in short supply in recent years for the male inhabitants of the Super Pit. Give Davis, who had 21 rebounds in the two games, credit for leading the charge instead of pouting because he wasn’t getting his points.

As much as the final score, it was the Mean Green’s 10-board edge and Winthrop’s 33-percent shooting percentage that left Winthrop coach Gregg Marshall steaming and Jones beaming.